After a half hour of searching, she returns to the cement dome thing.

He jerked, staring at Lise.

No luck, and most of the skin that hadn't been beneath clothes is very red.

She stared back.

She collapses, her whole body sore.

"I told you," Ash muttered before beginning his story. "It was a long time ago," he murmured, his voice almost lost in the rising wind, "before you were even born. Winter and Summer had been at peace for several seasons. There were always minor skirmishes between the courts, but for the longest time in centuries, we actually left each other alone. Near the end of summer," he went on, a bit of pain creeping into his voice, "things began to change. The fey don't deal well with boredom, and some of the more impatient members started mischief with Summer again. I should've known there would be trouble, but that season, I wasn't thinking of politics. The entire court was bored and restless, but I..." His voice broke, only for a moment, before continuing. "I was with my lady, Ariella Tularyn."

His lady. Ash had been involved, once. And, judging from the veiled hurt in his voice, he'd loved her a lot.

" oh. What...happened to her? "

Isiea feels exhausted, but listens.

"We were hunting in the wyldwood," he went on. "Following the rumor of a golden fox that had been seen in the area. There were three of us that day, hunting together. Ariella, myself, and...and Robin Goodfellow."

She stayed quiet, letting him continue.

Isiea keeps listening.